Black Widow is an engaging and mesmerizing psychological thriller. Director Bob Rafelson, whose last outing was The Postman Always Rings Twice, sees the film as a drama "about female relationships and female obsession."
Catharine (Theresa Russell) is a femme fatale who marries, murders, and then collects substantial inhertiances from her rich husbands. She does away with a publishing magnate (Dennis Hopper), a toy tycoon (Nicol Williamson) before a zealous federal agent from the Justice Department zeroes in on her. Alexandra (Debra Winger) follows the murderess to Hawaii where she has already closed in on her next victim — an international hotelier (Sami Frey). The two women square off in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game as Alexandra pits her determination and professional skills against Catharine's sexuality and ingenuity. The women revolve around each other until it is uncertain who is hunting whom. Black Widow is a fascinating film with tour de force performances by Winger and Russell.